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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · toast · mine · pitch · vault · mark · wound · ruler

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — for digging
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wound — an injury
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com